


Sapphire

by VexedBeverage



Series: Belonging - A Magic AU [3]
Category: Hat Films - Fandom, Hatfilms, The Yogscast
Genre: M/M, Magic AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-01
Updated: 2018-11-01
Packaged: 2019-08-14 05:23:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16486682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VexedBeverage/pseuds/VexedBeverage
Summary: A small snapshot 10 years in the future of the Belonging/Community universe.





	Sapphire

**Author's Note:**

  * For [FriedChickenNisha](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FriedChickenNisha/gifts).



> I hope that you enjoy this little snapshot.

Smith grimaced as he opened the door. The room was packed with boxes that were covered in dust and pieces of unused furniture draped in off white sheets. “Loft is full of shit too.” He called over his shoulder. 

Katie climbed the stairs behind him at his shout and made her way into the room. Smith stood in a small open space in the middle of the room, one hand clutching a fist full of his sandy hair. Without a word, Katie strode past and pulled a sheet off what she guessed was once a quite opulent armchair and fell into it. A puff of dust surrounded her for a moment and she coughed, waving her hand in front of her face. “I’m not sure I can do the rest of this today.” She said, leaning her head against the back of the chair to look up at the ceiling.

Smith released the hold on his hair and let his hand fall limply to his side. “I don't even know why the hell I’m here.” He said moving over to one of the large boxes and perching on the edge of it. “I’m not exactly magical identification guy.” 

Katie shrugged at him. “Moral support?” She hypothesized. “Chris is pretty upset.” 

Smith looked over at Katie. “How are you dealing?” 

She wrinkled her nose a little in an unsure look. “It’s been a few months since the breakup.” She started. “And we are still friends, I still care about him and this is something he needs my help with.” She paused. “It’s not as hard as I thought it would be and I’m not sure if that's a good or a bad thing.” 

This time it was Smith who shrugged. “I’m just happy that you’ve stopped avoiding all of us.” 

Katie huffed an amused breath. “Missed the dick jokes too much to keep away.” 

“Katie!” A voice called from downstairs. “Can you come take a look at this?” 

Katie pushed herself to her feet. “Duty calls.” 

Smith saluted her with a wink before standing and making his way to the back of the room to start sorting through the boxes. 

It was dusty work, the loft was stuffy and hot. There were no windows and just a single bare bulb in the centre of the room to work by. Smith had been working for a while when the feeling started. It was like something tickling in the back of his brain, like a paintbrush against his consciousness. It was gentle and subtle and he wasn’t entirely sure that it wasn’t just a product of his overactive imagination as he sorted through the belongings of someone else's life. 

Everyone had become acquainted with Arlene in the last decade since Hannah, Kim and Trott had taken over the shop. Her absence in the world was something that was hard to process for most, especially the three closest to her. That was the reason that Smith had volunteered to help his friends clear out the house, they were hurting and whilst he still wasn’t the most helpful in an emotional crisis he could do this. He could help with the practicalities and give them a little less to worry over. 

Smith had never believed in ghosts, not really, or at least not since he was a child but the feeling of something watching him was unnerving and he found himself stopping frequently in his task to look around the empty loft to make sure he was really alone. After an hour of checking over his shoulder he finally gave in and repositioned himself so that his back was to a wall. Still the feeling carried on. Something feeling him out or watching or listening or something. 

He almost screamed when Kim cleared her throat at the door to get his attention. “We’re going to head back for today.” She said, ignoring the way he physically jumped. 

Smith nodded quickly at her. He stood and stretched his arms out in front of him, his shoulder giving a click that sent a wave of relief through his body that he hadn’t realised he needed. “Come grab that box.” He said, pointing to an unopened crate. “I’ll take them back to the office and finish them off later.” As he spoke he picked up another box that he had yet to open. 

“You find anything good?” Kim asked eyeing Smith’s ‘sorting system’ which equated to boxes piled with things seemingly at random. 

Smith hefted the box up onto his shoulder. “Some spell books and stuff that look interesting.” He said leading the way to the door. “And there's a box of stuff that Katie should probably take a look at.” 

“Maybe leave that for another day.” Kim said as the descended the stairs onto the upper floor of the house. “She’s pretty exhausted. Arlene had a lot of really old stuff.” 

“Is she okay?” Smith asked, concerned that Katie had over done it. 

Kim lead as they descended to the ground floor. “Yeah, no bad memories or anything.” Kim answered knowing that was what he was really asking. “It just takes a lot out of her, she’s got a bit of a headache and said she needs to sleep it off.” 

\---------

After arriving back home and having a shower Smith made his way back to the office. Trott was off with Hannah, working on potions in the shop for the evening whilst Ross was running with the rest of the wolves, trying to keep Kim’s mind off everything that was going on. Mark was busy too, though with what, Smith wasn’t sure.

Smith booted up his computer and slipped on his headset, browsing through reddit whilst music blasted in his ears. 

The first few times he heard the sound he didn’t really register it, mixed with the guitars and drums and voices of the song playing it got lost. In the break between songs it happened again. It was like a quiet, muted chirp but not quite. It was a sound he had never heard before and he whipped around in his chair to see where it had come from. There was nothing there. 

The feeling of being watched was back. Something brushing against his being, something inquisitive and gentle. Something timid but relentless. It made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. 

Smith practically ripped the headphones off his head. The music carried on playing, distant sounding from the headset thrown to the desk in front of him. Smith eyed the boxes that he and Kim had brought back from Arlene’s house. 

“I swear to fucking god, Arlene. If you’re fucking haunting me-” He muttered to himself as he pulled one of the boxes closer, not finishing the threat.

Smith pulled the lid off the box and stared inside. The billowy fabric of many shawls greeted him, some of them sequined and glinting at him in the light of his office. Smith reached in, pulling them out one by one until he found a bundle. He set the bundle in his lap and undid the ribbon holding it closed. 

Inside the bundle was another bundle of two wrapped balls. Smith held them up for a moment, testing their weight before opening the first. Although there was no one to see his reaction, he rolled his eyes at it. A clear ball of what he assumed was crystal greeted him. He looked into it and saw nothing but his image flipped upside down. 

Excitement suddenly washed over him for the briefest of seconds as he picked up the other small bundle. He knew the feeling of others emotions and he shook it off, Zoey must be close and in a good mood. 

Another wave. This one seeped in trepidation. Feelings of inadequacy and nerves poking at his brain in quick succession as he untied the simple twine that held the bundle closed. His heart skipped a beat as the knot came loose even though the package was still hidden in the cloth. 

For no reason that he could discern, his hand shook as he pulled the cloth clear and revealed a smooth roundish object of brilliant sapphire blue. 

A feeling like a build up of static filled Smith’s brain. With one hand holding the bundle his other reached out and stroked the smooth, glass like orb with his thumb. 

Had anyone been in the vicinity of his office when this had happened they would have wondered about the shocked exclamation that came from Smith’s mouth as he made contact with the object shortly followed by the sound of him leaping to his feet and sending his chair crashing to the wall. 

Warmth, safety, belonging, family, caring, love. Settling in his brain, originating from this object he now understood. The chirrup sound in his head, all coming from this object. 

Spiderweb cracks marred the beautiful gem like substance as Smith watched transfixed. Working off instinct, he sat down on the bed and cradled the item in both his hands. 

Cold, cold, cold. The feeling suffused him until he was saturated in it. All of the hair on his arms stood up, goose bumps rising over his body. 

Slowly, and very gently he started the process of heating his hands, breathing slow and steady he concentrated and the feeling slowly ebbed away. A feeling of gratitude replacing it as he held the temperature and the cracks spread, widening until finally two halves fell apart. 

The creature was no bigger than a kitten, it didn’t yet seem to possess the strength or coordination to hold its head steady on its long neck. It’s tail curled around Smith’s wrist, steadying itself. 

With some shuffling, Smith was able to hold the animal on one palm so he could use the other to stroke it. The creature wobbled as it tried to stand on new legs, its claws digging almost painfully into the sides of Smith’s hand. With one large wobble, the creature unfolded its wings and flapped them to keep itself upright. 

It chirruped. “What the fuck.” Smith breathed out.


End file.
